THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR
by Sueeastlake
Summary: "Ironside" has become one of my favorite classic TV shows, and one of my favorite episodes is "Downhill All the Way". I wondered what happened to the characters after dinner ended at the end of the episode. This is my imagining of what might have happened. These characters are not mine, but the creation of Collier Young.
1. Chapter 1

That's What Friends Are For

Takes place after "Downhill All the Way"

Chapter One

Ironside and Jerry returned from looking at the corner to the dinner table, where Samantha, T.D., Fran, Ed, and Mark sat. Ian still was standing.

Jerry said "Baa" to the Chief, and the Chief replied "Baa".

Ironside asked Ian, "Do you want to stay for dinner?" Ian thought about it and then said, "No, I think I need to get Jerry home to his mother."

The Chief stopped Ian and said, "It not in my nature to thank people, but in your case, I am grateful for all you did to save my life."

Ian answered, "You are a good friend and I didn't want to see anything else happen to you. You have a lot to be thankful for. Particularly, these young people that surround you every day and support and protect you. And having Samantha help you during the time you were away was a blessing. You also helped Jerry a lot."

Ironside looked around the table to each one of his friends, saying nothing, but showed a slight grin, as he was known to do occasionally. Then the Chief looked back to Ian and said, " I have already told them in my own way how much they mean to me. All I ask for you is to get Jerry home safely and not park illegally." Everybody laughed when they heard the Chief say that.

Ian looked sheepishly at the group,then took Jerry's hand, and walked out the door.

Ironside turned to everyone. "Chief, you look tired", Fran said. "Maybe we should clean up the dishes and leave so you can get some rest. After all, you just got out of the hospital." Ironside glared at Fran with the look that told her that she was worrying too much. "If I am tired, I will let you know", the Chief replied emphatically. Fran looked at him, a little startled, but knew that this was the usual reaction of the Chief.

The group continued to converse until the Chief let out a big yawn.

Fran responded, "You see, I knew you were tired. Maybe you left the hospital too soon. Do you want us to take you back there?" Ironside didn't like what Fran said, but admitted, "After Jerry left, I did feel that I needed a nap, but I will not go back to the hospital!" Samantha, after being silent for a while, replied, "Robert, maybe it's time for T.D. and I to return home, since it is getting late. You do need to get rest. This experience has been hard on you, and your spirit needs to find peace." Ironside looked at her and finally admitted that he did need rest. "You helped me through a tough period. I can't ignore what you are saying. I hope you will keep in touch with me." Samantha stood up and gave the Chief a kiss on the cheek. " I will be thinking about you. You have a kind soul and friends that care about you." T.D. stood up and both Samantha and he said goodbye to everybody and left.

"I hope that both of them stay safe", Ironside said.

Fran, Ed and Mark picked up the dishes and quickly washed, dried and put them away. "Ed and I will leave you, so you can get some sleep," Fran said to the Chief. "And Mark, make sure that he doesn't sit up all night long." Ironside looked at her. "You're not my babysitter, Officer! I can take care of myself." Mark looked at him, and thought to himself why he was there, if Ironside could handle everything. Mark told him, "Chief, we know you can take care of yourself. We just want you to get some rest". Ironside replied reluctantly, "OK, OK, I'll get some rest." With that concession, Ed and Fran bid goodnight and left the office.

Ironside rolled into the bathroom and changed into his pajamas. When he returned, he rolled by Mark to his bed and tried to get into bed himself. Mark, sitting at the table, watched as the Chief tried to pull himself into bed, but was having trouble. "Want to have some help?", Mark inquired. "Normally, Mark, I would insist that I do it myself, but I'm so tired, I could use your help. I know some times I can be stubborn, but I know how important you are to me." Mark smiled as he helped Ironside get into bed. The Chief said goodnight to Mark and closed his eyes. Mark left him and walked quietly back to his room.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Chief fell asleep, but as the night dragged on, he began to have dreams about his recent experience that were disturbing. His head moved back and forth and his arms flailed fitfully as the scenes flashed through his dream: being pushed over by the thugs, drinking the bourbon, not know sometimes if he had drank too much or he was acting drunk, feeling bad as he sat in front of Samantha's church, and being in that oxygen tent, not knowing if he would live or die. Then regret overtook his dream that he had put his dear friends through a difficult time. He began to say "No, no!" and increasingly became loud enough that Mark heard him in his room. Mark jumped out of his bed and ran out to Ironside's bed. The Chief was still in his nightmare, so Mark had to yell, "Chief! Chief! Wake up." Mark's voice penetrated the nightmare that was Ironside's dream and he awoke startled and looked at Mark in a puzzled way.

"Chief, you were yelling "No! No! loud enough I could here you in my room", Mark explained. "What's wrong?" The Chief, not really wanting to tell Mark about his nightmare, but embarrassed about waking Mark, replied "Well..well, I did get to sleep, but my dreams invaded my sleep." Mark,concerned about the Chief but afraid to delve too much, stated, "Those dreams must have something else. You were moving your head back and forth and your arms were moving back and forth. Are you OK?" Ironside looked at Mark, but decided that he didn't want to talk about it, but instead, asked Mark to help him get into the wheelchair. "Chief, you are exhausted and should try to get some sleep," Mark said. "Do you want something to eat or have a nightcap? Maybe it will help you fall back to sleep". Ironside, afraid to go back to sleep, replied in anger, "No, I just want to get into the chair! Will you help me or do I have to do this myself?" Mark was annoyed, but knew that arguing with the Chief was like hitting his head against a wall. "OK, Chief, you win. I'll help you, but you will regret this in the morning". Ironside responded by saying, "I may regret it in the morning, but you will regret it if you don't get me in the chair!". After getting out of bed and settled into his wheelchair, Ironside wheeled himself over to the window, leaving Mark to watch and knowing that the Chief was troubled by something. It was about 2 AM. Mark decided that leaving the Chief alone was about the only thing that he should do, so he went back to bed.

The next morning Mark came out of his room to find the Chief still sitting near the window. He was inwardly annoyed, but thought better than saying anything to Ironside. Just as he was about to get the coffee going, thinking that the Chief would need some to get through his day, Ed and Fran walked into the office. When Fran didn't see the Chief dressed and sitting at the table, she looked around and saw where he was, and exclaimed, "Chief, why aren't you dressed yet? Didn't you..."as Mark held up his hand to stop her from saying anything more. Ed, Fran and Mark turned away from Ironside. "Was he up all night?," asked Fran. Mark told them about the events of the night. Just as he finished telling Ed and Fran about what happened, a loud voice came from the direction for the window. "You're not being paid to stand there and talk. We have work to do", growled Ironside. Fran and Ed looked over to the Chief, knowing that his lack of sleep was going to make this day more challenging. Fran walked over to where the Chief was sitting, hoping that talking to him would soothe his bad disposition. "Hi, Chief. We're just concerned about you. Can I help?" Ironside, grumpy from lack of sleep answered, "If I wanted your help, I would have asked". Fran thought a moment and asked, "Why don't I get you some coffee? Maybe it will make you feel better." Ironside, looked at her with his annoyed look, but decided to roll over to the table to get some coffee. Fran followed him, feeling somewhat relieved. Mark poured a cup of coffee and brought it to the Chief. Ironside looked up at him without saying anything and started to drink his coffee, hoping the caffeine would help him overcome the fatigue he was feeling.

Then the phone rang The Chief picked up the phone, and in an annoyed voice answered, "Ironside". The voice on the other end was not a familar one. "Is this Ironside?" the voice inquired. "Yes this is Ironside. What do you want?" The voice on the phone said, "I think you know a lady named Samantha. She is thin with short hair." Ironside asked, "What about Samantha?" The voice replied, "I'm holding her." Ironside, hearing the voice saying that he was holding Samantha, motioned to Ed to call to get a trace on the phone call. "Who are you?", Ironside inquired. The voice answered, "Remember Larry, the guy that tried to kill you. I am his brother Iggy. I'm holding your friend, because I really want you. If you want to help her, you have to come alone." Ironside looked at Ed to see if the phone trace came through. He shook his head no. "As I said, you come alone," Iggy repeated. "Where are you?", the Chief asked. "Come to SOMA on 16th Street at Midnight. There is a warehouse there. Come in the front door and take the elevator", Iggy replied. "Alone." Iggy ended the call. Ironside slammed down the receiver and hit his hand on the table. Fran asked, "What's wrong, Chief?" Ironside, with an unhappy look on his face said to Fran, Ed and Mark, "The brother of Larry, Iggy, has kidnapped Samantha and wants me to come alone to a warehouse in SOMA. I need to do what I can to save Samantha". Ed urged him not to go alone. "You'll be a sitting duck if you go alone, Chief". Fran also frantically urged him not to go. Mark thought a moment and suggested, "Maybe we can put a device on you to track you. Then we would know where you are and if you are OK." Ironside, silent, thought about Mark's suggestion for a few seconds and decided that it was a good idea. "Mark, you can drive us down there and park a couple of blocks away. Then I will roll over to the building. After I get into the building, you three could walk over to the back of the building where Iggy can't see you. Then you can enter the building silently, so you can be there to help me if necessary, and to find Samantha. We have to find her. She is the reason that I am here today." They looked at each other and Fran, Mark, and Ed agreed. With their plan in place, the Chief finally decided to get dressed and get to the business at hand.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

As the day wore on, Ironside seemed to be uncharacteristically nervous. He would drink coffee, look at files, pace back and forth in his wheelchair, and roll to the window to sit with very little sleep. Fran, Ed and Mark all noticed. They were all aware of the high stakes they all faced trying to find Samantha and keep the Chief from harm. And knowing that there was something else that was bothering Ironside made the situation even more intense. Lunchtime came and went and with the tension that everyone felt, no one felt like eating. "Ed, did you contact the station down in SOMA to be sure that we have back up?", Ironside asked. "Yes I did, Chief, but will we jeopardize Samantha's life, if we bring back up? I know you want to save her, but.." Ironside interupted, "What would you do if Fran was being held? Wouldn't you do as much as you could to find her and save her? That's what I feel I have to do with Samantha!" At that moment, the phone rang, which helped break some of the tension in the room. Mark answered the phone, while the Chief and Ed looked at each other in silence. "Chief Ironside's office", Mark answered. "Is the Chief there?" the voice on the phone inquired. "Who is this?" Mark asked. "Mark, this is T.D., Samantha's friend. I need to talk to the Chief." Mark told him to wait, and turned to Ironside. "Chief, Mark said, "T.D is on the phone and wants to talk to you." Mark handed the phone to the Chief, and Ironside said, "Ironside". T.D. spoke to Ironside, "Hello Chief Ironside, I called because I went by Samantha's home, and she was not home. It looks like she has not been there for a while. I'm worried about her." Ironside was not prepared to deal with much else, but he had to tell T.D, "We know what happened to Samantha, J.T.. She has been kidnapped by Larry's brother. There was a phone call." Ironside was reluctant to let T.D. know all the details of what was happening with Samantha. "Chief, what can I do to help find her?", T.D. asked. "She is a good person and a good friend." "Well, T.D., as much as you would like to help, this is something that the police should handle," Ironside said to T.D. "But Chief, I can use some of the techniques that you taught me to help locate her.", T.D. pleaded. "I'm sorry, T.D., but we have to be careful how we approach this. Any extra activity may threaten Samantha's life", Ironside explained. "I'm sorry, but we just can't use your help. We will let you know when we find her and she is safe." With that statement, Ironside heard a click when T.D. hung up the phone. Ironside's face couldn't hide the emotion he felt after talking to T.D. Some of the internal conflict that he could not reveal to his friends and the tension he felt from the kidnapping of Samantha were taking a toll on him. He tried to hide what was happening inside, but Fran could read him and when over to put a hand on his shoulder. Ironside turned his head around to see that Fran was standing behind him. "I know that something is bothering you, Chief, and you can't talk about it with us. Just know that we are there for you. That's what friends are for. Maybe if you could catch a nap, you would feel better", Fran quietly said. Ironside turned his head back, a few tears in his eyes, partly from lack of sleep and partly from the tension he felt. His hands were moving slightly up and down with his fingertips touching, which he was known to do when stressed. He quietly replied, "Fran, I know all of you care about what happens to me, but right now all I can think about is finding Samantha. I couldn't sleep knowing that she is being held by someone who wants to do harm to me." Fran, knowing that no one had eaten lunch and thinking that it may relieve some of the tension everyone was feeling, particularly the Chief, suggested pizza be ordered or chili heated. They all chose chili, and shared a meal together, before the events that were to come.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It was 11:30, so Ironside, Ed, Fran, and Mark left the office together to ride the elevator down to the garage and the van. As they left the garage, not know what was to happen, everyone was silent. However, they didn't know that a car was parked on the street opposite the garage door, and the occupant watched them leave. He started his car and began following the van as Mark drove it to SOMA and the warehouse. About ten minutes later, the van arrived a few blocks from the warehouse where Samantha was being held. The man following in his car parked down the street from the van, not wanted to be seen by Ironside and his friends. When the van stopped, Ironside called on the phone to the back up officers to make sure they knew the plan.

Then he spoke to Ed, Mark, and Fran. "Remember you are to go to the back of the warehouse and make sure that you are not seen. I will take the elevator and meet with Iggy. Meanwhile, if you can get into the back door, then you will look for Samantha. If you don't find her, then try to find the stairway and come looking for me. "Chief", Ed suggested, "I brought a wire that you can wear. Just wanted to have some insurance for your safety." Ironside pondered Ed's suggestion and said, "Ed, I'm concerned that Iggy will find the wire." Ed thought about it. "We could put it under your jacket in back so it's hidden between you and the back of the wheelchair. If Iggy tries to pat you down, he won't find it." The Chief considered it, and decided that it should work. Ed helped him place the wire. Then it was time for the Chief to open the doors to the lift and roll onto it. "Take care of yourself, Chief", Fran gently said. "Remember what I said back at the office."

Ironside began to roll toward the warehouse, while the others moved over to the back of the warehouse. Ed checked to see if the light on his receiver was working and tracking the Chief. Inside the warehouse, Iggy had tied Samantha's hands and feet together and gagged her mouth to keep her from screaming and alerting Ironside. "You better be quiet.", Iggy ordered. "Ironside owes me for arresting my brother. He should have been dead long ago. What my brother started, I will finish."

The Chief reached the front door, not realizing that he had been followed. The man following him hid around the corner from the front door. Ironside pulled the door open and rolled through the threshold. Then he found the elevator and waited for it to arrive. When the doors opened, he turned around and backed into the elevator. The doors closed. The man who was following Ironside walked to the front door and entered. Not seeing the Chief, he looked for the stairway and started to climb.

Ironside reached the floor where he was supposed to meet Iggy and rolled off the elevator to a darkened room. Samantha was no where to be seen. The doors of the elevator did not close behind him and he didn't see anyone at first, which sent a chill through him. Then the elevator lowered without Ironside touching any buttons, trapping him on the floor without any way to escape. Ironside looked a bit alarmed. Meanwhile, the man had climbed the stairs, trying to find the floor where Ironside was.

Outside, Ed, Fran, Mark and all of the backup officers were trying to enter the back of the warehouse, so they could try to find Samantha and the Chief. Ed check to see if the light was still showing on his receiver, and it indicated that the Chief was still OK. Mark thought about all the times that he was able to help the Chief, but felt helpless not being able to be with Ironside. "Ed, do you have the door opened?", Mark inquired. As Ed was about to answer, the door opened and everybody entered to look for Samantha.

As Ironside rolled away from the elevator and into the darken room, he saw Samantha sitting on the floor. "Samantha, are you all right? I am so relieved to see you". The Chief saw that she had a gag on her mouth and rolled over to her to untie the gag. Samantha started to say something, when a figure stepped out of the shadows. It was Iggy. "Now I have you, Ironside! I'm going to finish what my brother started." Iggy started to push the wheelchair toward the open elevator, while Ironside struggled with him. Samantha screamed. As much as Ironside tried to stop Iggy, his efforts were failing. Iggy pushed hard and the wheelchair with Ironside in it rolled into the open elevator shaft. The Chief grabbed hold of the elevator cable as he fell. He heard the crash of the wheelchair below him. Samantha screamed again, the mystery man heard her, and ran through the door from the stairs and attacked Iggy. They struggled and ultimately, the mystery man subdued Iggy. Samantha finally recognized the man and said, "T.D, Robert was pushed into the elevator shaft. Please help him!"

While Iggy and T.D. struggled, Ed and the others climbed the stairs. Ed looked at the receiver. "The light went out on the receiver." he shouted. Fran and Mark felt panic. They all bolted up the stairs, hoping to find the Chief, hoping he was alive.

After grabbing the elevator cable and with his bloody hands, Ironside lowered himself to the top of the elevator cab and sat next to his wheelchair. T.D. ran over from Samantha to the elevator shaft. "Robert, are you O.K.?", T.D. called. "Who is that?", Ironside inquired in pain from the pain in his hands. "It's T.D. Are you hurt?" Ironside told him about his hands. T.D assured the Chief that he would find a way to rescue him. "Hold on!". T.D. looked around for a way to raise the elevator and found a remote control. Just as he found it, Ed, Mark, Fran and the backup officers found Samantha and T.D.. They saw Samantha. "Where's the Chief?", Mark, Ed and Fran all asked in unison. "He's down in the elevator shaft, sitting on top of the cab." T.D. explained. "His hands are injured. I found this remote control that I think Iggy used to raise and lower the elevator. Ed grabbed it from T.D. and ran over to the elevator shaft and called, "Chief, we found a remote control that we can use to raise the elevator up to us. Hold on." While Ed moved the elevator, Fran went over to Samantha and finished releasing her. "Thank you, Fran", as she hugged Fran. "I have to see how Robert is." Fran agreed and both of them ran over to the elevator shaft to see if Ironside had reached them. The officers had already taken Iggy away.

The elevator cab reached the point where Ironside could be rescued. One look at the Chief showed bloody hands on a man who was exhausted from lack of sleep. The bags under his eyes looked larger. Ed and Mark pulled the wheelchair out first and then helped Ironside slide out of the shaft and into the wheelchair. Then the elevator was raised to the level where the Chief, pushed by Mark, rolled off the top of the elevator. Samantha hugged the Chief and kissed him on the cheek followed by Fran. Ed and Mark breathed a sign of relief. Ironside had a few tears from the pain in his hands and his exhaustion. Samantha said, "Robert, thank you for rescuing me along with T.D." The Chief looked around and saw T.D standing nearby. Ironside queried, "What are you doing here? I told you that we didn't what you to come." T.D. hesitated, but then spoke to Ironside. "Robert, I know how important Samantha is to you, but she also is important to me. She is my friend also, just as Mark, Ed and Fran are for you. I couldn't sit by and let Samantha be harmed, just as as you couldn't sit by and let Mark, Ed, Fran and Samantha be hurt or killed. And they couldn't do the same. That's why I'm here". The paramedics arrived to attend to Ironside, but before they did, the Chief did something he rarely did, and thanked T.D. Then the paramedics bandaged Ironside's hands and brought him down to a waiting ambulance.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

After Ironside was examined in the emergency room, Mark, Ed, Fran, Samantha and T.D. all rode back with the Chief to the office in the van. Not a lot was said on the trip. Since Ironside couldn't push the wheelchair, Mark took the handles and pushed him to the elevator, and they all rode up together. When they arrived, Ironside thought a bit about the events of the night and what T.D. had said. He felt that he needed to speak to his friends. "You know that I don't say much when I am troubled by something. I come across annoyed and insulting. Maybe I feel that I need to handle it without involving my friends. The nightmare I was having concerned the events that happened when I was away. I was afraid to sleep, fearing the nightmare would occur again. I know that I had apologized to you earlier about how I treated you, but the nightmare combined with the regret I felt about how I treated the three of you, when you were trying to be a friend to me, prevented me from wanting to talk about it. And for you Samantha and T.D., I consider you friends. I wouldn't be here without Samantha. You stuck by me all during that time. And T.D, I owe you my life for coming to my rescue. All of you did. I was recently reminded that what friends are for." Fran smiled and again she hugged the Chief and gave him a kiss on the cheek. As she stepped back, a huge yawn came from Ironside. Mark chimed in and said, "Chief, you need to get some sleep." Ironside agreed. T.D and Samantha said goodbye to Ironside and left the office. Ed and Fran smiled and Fran touched the Chief on the shoulder before they both left. Mark helped Ironside dress for bed and helped him into bed without any protests, mainly because his hands were bandaged. "Chief, you don't know how scared I was this time", Mark said. "When we first met, I couldn't have cared what happened to you. Now I worry about you. In spite of your outward gruffness, you still are vunerable. We know you can take of yourself, but as you found out, you do need us." Ironside, in a rare moment, agreed with Mark. And with agreement, Mark said goodnight to the Chief, and Ironside did the same. He almost immediately fell asleep and slept like a baby.

The end


End file.
